Britain’s Going on a Diet

Public Health England announced this morning that “Britain needs to go on a diet”.

It’s no surprise either since a new report has shown that children are overeating, with obese boys consuming up to 500 calories more than their RDA. Overweight girls consume an excess of 290 calories.

Food makers have been told to cut calories by 20% in the next 8 years, PHE has said that if these targets are met, it could save the NHS £4.5bn and prevent more than 35,000 premature deaths.

Under a new strategy from PHE they outlined 13 food categories that have been linked to high calorie snacking including savoury biscuits, cooking sauces, ready meals and crisps.

They’ve suggested that parents should limit their children to no more than two 100-calorie snacks a day. This follows PHE campaigns to take action on sugar and salt and cut down on the number of unhealthy foods eaten by young people.

Recent figures have also shown that more than a third of children in year 6 in England are obese or overweight, with poor children more likely to be overweight than wealthier friends.

However, it’s not just children who are eating to excess, on average adults have been found to eat 200 calories more than their daily allowance.

What can be done? PHE have suggested that adults should try and limit the calories of their three main meals by having only 400 for breakfast and 600 each for lunch and dinner.

While all this may be a great idea, they have spotted a potential problem with calling out food makers. With the food industry changing their products to reduce calories in an unnatural way.